


Warmth

by Guanin



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Cold Weather, Cuddling & Snuggling, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-03
Updated: 2016-12-03
Packaged: 2018-09-06 05:29:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,088
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8736640
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Guanin/pseuds/Guanin
Summary: The heater in Jim's car breaks down and he arrives home frozen.





	

Oswald combed gently through Jim’s hair, holding up the blow drier to the wet strands as Jim sat before him, huddled in a cozy bathrobe, shivering still from the frigid drive home. Fifteen minutes after leaving work, he had realized that the heater wasn’t working, the vents blowing air as chilly as the one outside, but it was too late to go back and ask Harvey for a ride. Besides, it was only another fifteen minutes before he got home, and he was well bundled up. He would wait it out, he decided. It would fine. Or so it would have been had those fifteen minutes not turned into forty because of an accident on the highway backing up traffic for a mile, leaving him shivering in his seat. He arrived home a trembling mess, the icy cold having seeped so far into his bones that he feared he might never be warm again. He found Oswald reading in the living room. He hadn’t intended to make any sort of deal over the heater situation, only mentioning that it needed fixing, but even someone only half as clever as Oswald would have seen the blatant signs of cold misery on him. His shoulders were hunched, every muscle clenched as his body sought to retreat into itself seeking what little warmth existed. He had sighed gratefully as he stepped though the heated threshold of the house, but it the chill still permeated every bit of him down to his toes. Oswald jumped up from the couch, concern tightening his face, and placed his hands on Jim’s cheeks, his fingers, for once, feeling warm on his frozen skin. Jim leaned into him, savoring the heat of his touch, feeling the cold recede just a little. 

“You feel like ice,” Oswald said.

“I’ll be fine.”

Jim tried for a brave face, which Oswald saw straight through.

“Not right now, you’re not.”

Jim lowered his head, conceding to the obvious. Oswald took his hands in his and strove to rub some warmth into them, blowing hot air into Jim’s palms for a moment before tugging him upstairs and into the shower. He waited outside as Jim peeled off his cold clothing and stepped into the hot water, wincing at the temperature difference before leaning into it, closing his eyes in bliss. When his fingers began to prune, he shut off the valve and dried himself off, making sure to get every drop off his skin. Yet despite feeling much warmer than before, his arms were still covered with goosebumps as the cold refused to leave him. When he was dressed in his robe, he let Oswald into the bathroom, who immediately checked his temperature again, touching his face and hands. 

“See?” Jim said. “Much better.”

“You’re not cold anymore?”

“Well, a little. Nowhere near as much, though.”

“You shouldn’t have been in the car for so long like that.”

Oswald tugged his head down, pressing his forehead against Jim’s. Jim cupped the back of his head, enjoying the familiar nuzzle.

“I’ll dry your hair,” Oswald said after a moment.

“I can do it.”

“I’m faster.”

Jim couldn’t argue with that. Oswald had developed an airtight morning routine that involved him washing, drying, and styling his hair in the same amount of time that it took Jim to do the first two. He grabbed a chair from the bedroom, carried it into the bathroom, and sat down next to the vanity, where Oswald was already plugging in the hair dryer. Jim shut his eyes at the loud buzzing of the machine and leaned back as Oswald combed through his hair, blowing blessedly hot air on his cold scalp. He hugged the robe tighter around himself, hiding his hands in the folds of the sleeves, only keeping from hugging himself so Oswald wouldn’t worry even more. His mind drifted, allowing the lethargy that had been gripping his body since the thirtieth minute in that freezing car to slip over him as Oswald tended to him. At one point, Oswald had to push his head back upright as he began to nod.

“Just a little longer,” Oswald murmured. “You can sleep in a bit, I promise.”

Jim opened bleary eyes, trying to get them into focus, but sleepiness gripped him too tightly by now. 

“Is it dry yet?” he asked, words slurring.

“Almost.”

Jim’s eyes slid shut again as the warm air gusted over his forehead, only sheer will power keeping him upright. 

An interminable time later, the dryer finally switched off.

“There,” Oswald said, stroking Jim’s shoulders with a gentle squeeze. “You can go to bed now.”

“Great,” Jim said. Or rather, tried to say, for nothing more than a muffled “gr” emerged from his mouth.

Oswald followed him to the bedroom and pulled back the blankets. Oswald had added an extra couple of fleece blankets atop the comforter. 

“Just in case,” he said when he caught Jim eyeing them. 

Jim said nothing, too tired to speak, and collapsed into bed, forgetting about the bathrobe until he was already lying down. He sat up to take it off, fumbling at the belt with sluggish fingers. Oswald helped him tug the robe off his shoulders and yank it out from under him before Jim had a chance to stand back up, then pulled the blankets over him as Jim oozed back onto the bed, resting his head gratefully on the pillow. He scooched forward to give Oswald room to lie down behind him. When he did, he reached out, tugging Oswald’s arm over his chest and pressing himself back against Oswald’s chest, sighing in contentment at the warmth of his body on his chilled skin. Oswald squeezed his hand, pulling the blankets tightly over them with the other before resting his face on Jim’s nape, nose tickling his hair line. His right leg nudged between Jim’s, who shifted to accommodate it, enjoying the feel of his silk pants on his bare skin. His toes were still icy, but Oswald didn’t protest, rubbing them with his feet instead. The combination of Oswald’s body heat and the softness of the blankets began to defrost his frozen muscles.

“Are you warm enough?” Oswald asked, his breath a sweet balm on Jim’s neck.

He stroked Jim’s chest, motions gentle, almost massaging as he coaxed some heat back into his skin.

“I’m getting there.”

Jim grabbed his hand and kissed it before letting Oswald continue his ministrations. His eyes closed, exhaustion quickly claiming him in the comfort of Oswald’s embrace.

**Author's Note:**

> For the event prompt "huddling for warmth".


End file.
